Label dispenser

ABSTRACT

A label dispenser comprises a box-like container adapted to receive a plurality of rolls of strip material in side-by-side relation and with each of the rolls carrying a series of labels coated with pressure sensitive adhesive. One wall of the container is provided with a dispensing slot through which the strip material is passed and bent over one edge bounding the slot to cause a label to strip therefrom. A pick-off bar is spaced slightly from said one wall substantially perpendicular thereto and generally in the same plane of said one edge. The other edge bounding said slot comprises a lip extending beyond the plane of said one wall in spaced relation to and substantially parallel with said pick-off bar. A guide member extends longitudinally within said container beneath said slot to guide the strip material through a sharp bend as it passes through said slot to cause the labels to strip therefrom, said labels being directed outwardly by said lip to lodge lightly on said pick-off bar as said strip material is withdrawn from the container. Said one wall and the wall opposite thereto are provided with a series of aligned slots extending perpendicular to said dispensing slot and said rolls of strip material are enclosed within cartridges, each comprising a flat container having peripheral flange portions which are removably fitted in an aligned pair of slots with the flange portions extending through said one wall and defining guides for the strip material after it has passed through said dispensing slot.

United States Patent Foote' 1451 Oct. 17, 19 72 1541 LABEL DISPENSER [72] Inventor: Richard W. Foote, 144 Chestnut St.,

Willimantic, Conn. 06226 [22] Filed: May 6, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 35,206v

' [52] US. Cl ..221/70, 221/73 I [51] int. Cl. ....B65h 5/28 58 Field 6: Search ..221/69-73, 131; 156/541; 222/69-73; 312/39, 40; 206/62 P [56] References Cited UNITED STATES P TENTS 3,374,794 311968 Reed ..206/62 P 2,372,245 3/1945 Avery ..221/70 3,231,130 1/1966 Foote ..221/70 3,388,830 6/ 1968 Short ..221/73 3,487,977 1/1970 Andersson ..221/73 3,514,016 5/1970 Hackney ..221/70 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 677,070 8/1952 Great Britain ..221/73 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Assistant ExaminerLarry Martin Att0meylmirie and Smiley ABSTRACT v A label dispenser comprises a box-like container adapted to receive a plurality of rolls of strip material in side-by-side relation and with each of the rolls carrying a series oflabels coated with pressure sensitiveadhesive. One wall of the container is provided with a dispensing slot through which the strip material is passed and bent over one edge bounding the slot to cause a label to strip therefrom. A pick-off bar is spaced slightly from said one wall substantially perpendicular theretoand generally in the same plane of said one edge. The other edge bounding said slot comprises a lip extending beyond the plane of said one wall in spaced relation to and substantially parallel with said pick-off bar. A guide member extends longitudinally within said container beneath said slot to guide the strip material through a sharp bend as it passes through said slot to cause the labels to strip therefrom, said labels being directed outwardly by said lip to lodge lightly on said pick-off bar as said strip material is withdrawn from the container. Said one wall and the wall opposite thereto are provided with a series of aligned slots extending perpendicular to said dispensing slot and said rolls of strip material are enclosed within cartridges, each comprising a flat container having peripheral flange portions which are removably fitted in an aligned pair of slots with the flange portions extending through said one wall and defining guides for the strip material after it has passed through said dispensing slot.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUommn 3.698.600

I SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR RICHARD W. FOOTE B A TORNEYS PATENTED 081 17 I 12 sum 2- or 2 INVENTOR RICHARD W. FOOTE film/h; ATTORNEYS LABEL DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION My U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,130 discloses a label dispenser comprising a box-like container adapted to receive a plurality of rolls of strip material respectively carrying a series of labels backed by pressure sensitive adhesive. The strip material is drawn through a slot extending along one longitudinal surface of the container and passes beneath a pair of hold-down bars, one adjacent the slot and having an upstanding flange along its edge remote from the slot. As the strip material is drawn from the container over the edge of the wall defining the slot, the label is peeled from the strip and flops over to rest on the upper edge of the upstanding flange. The wall edgedefining the opposite side of the slot is level with edge over which the strip material is drawn and if the strip material isdrawn out too rapidly or in a jerky motion, the label tends to flop forwardly over the latter wall edge instead of rearwardly onto the upstanding flange, and in' so doing, may become fouled with other surfaces or materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A label dispenser according to the present invention comprises a box-like. container adapted to receive a plurality of rolls of strip'material in side-by-side relation with each of the rolls carrying a series of labels coated with pressure sensitive adhesive. According to the preferred form, the front or top of the container, dcpendingupon its operative position, is open and is operatively closed by a removable cover. A longitudinal wall adjacent the open side comprises the dispensing or operative surface of the container and is provided along its longitudinal edges with a pair of hold-down bars. The strip material is trained over the edge of this operative wall and passes beneath the holddown bars, the hold-down bar adjacent said edge having an upstanding flange substantially aligned with said edge. The container wall opposite said operative surface wall are'both provided with aligned parallel slots for receiving the flanges of cartridges containing the rolls of strip material, the flanges extending through and beyond the operative surface wall and defining guide ways for the strip material between the slots to retain the strip material in alignment and prevent fouling of adjoining strips. The removable cover has a lip extending above the plane of the operative wall and parallel with said upright flange and said cover also has an inwardly extending flange which is engaged by the strip material to cause the material to bend sharply around the edge of the operative wall. The upstanding lip on the cover guides a label as it is separated from the strip due to the sharp bend through which the strip passes and prevents the label from flopping over outwardly of the container. The trailing edge of the label is carried .by the strip until it passes around the sharp bend until the label engages and becomes lightly adhered to the upstanding flange whereupon the label can be manually removed and applied to a selected surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the label dispenser in another operative position and V with the cover removed from the open side of the container permitting access to the interior thereof;

' FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1' but oriented to the position shown in FIG. 2 and showing a supply cartridge mounted therein;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of the opposite side of the cartridge shown in FIG. 3, and,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary cross-sectional views showing the dispensing of a label through successive stages of the operation.

1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now in detail to the drawings and specifically to FIGS. 1-3, a dispenser in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing including a boxlike container 10 having a front or dispensing longitudinal side wall 12, a rear or bottom side wall 14, longitudinal side walls 16 and 18 joining the walls 12 and 14, and end walls 20 for enclosing one or more cartridges C, each containing a roll of carrier strip S supporting a plurality of labels L coated with pressure sensitive adhesive. The front or dispensing wall 12 is provided with a longitudinally extending dispensing slot 22 with one edge 24 of the wall 12 defining the slot constituting a label separating or dispensing edge. A holddown bar 26 is secured to the wall 12 with the main portion of the bar spaced from the wall 12 sufficiently to permit the passage of a strip S between said wall and the hold-down bar as the strip is drawn through the slot 22. The hold-down bar is parallel with the slot and has a flange 28 extending perpendicularly of the wall and substantially aligned with the slot edge 24 to constitute a label pick-off bar.

The opposite edge defining the slot comprises a lip or flange 30 extending perpendicularly of the plane of the wall 12 and substantially parallel in slightly spaced relation'from the flange 28. The lip 30 extends inwardly of the wall 12 below the point at which the leading edge of a label L peels from the strip S as the latter passes around the edge 24. A second hold-down bar 32 is mounted on the wall 12 with the major portion of the bar spaced slightly from the wall to accommodate passage of the strip S and this hold-down bar has a right angular flange 34, that is disposed substantially coplanar with the side wall 18. A guide bar 36 is located within the container 10 extending longitudinally thereof spaced inwardly from, but interrupting direct access to the dispensing slot 22 so that, as shown in FIG. 3, the strip S is forced inwardly of the slot 22 so that it must pass through a sharp bend constituting an acute angle as it passes around the slot edge 24. As the strip S passes around the edge 24, the labels L carried thereby, due to their relatively stiff nature, are caused to peel therefrom and are guided by the lip or flange 30 outwardly through the slot 22 substantially parallel strip continues, the trailing edge of the label is carried, as shown in FIG. 6, by the strip until the label lightly engages the pick-off bar and is completely separated from the strip S so that the label L may be removed manually from the pick-off bar 28 by the operator to be applied to a selected surface. The label L is temporarily supported by the pick-off bar 28 substantially perpendicular to the wall 12 so that it is readily accessible.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that from the operational standpoint with respect to the dispensing of labels L, it is immaterial as to the exact location of the dispensing slot 22 in the wall 12 as long as the relationship between the slot, the pick-off bar 28, the lip 30 and the guide bar 36 are concerned. From the manufacturing standpoint, as well as the operational standpoint with respect to loading the rolls of strip, it is preferred that the container have an open side and that the side wall 16 be constituted by a removable closure element, conveniently in the form of a door having side flanges or wings 38 which overlie in closed position and are connected to the end walls by pivots 40 located near the rear wall 14. The door 16 is retained in closed position by friction members 42 on the end walls 20 near the top or front wall 12 which engage the door wings 38. According to this construction,

the lip is constituted by an extension of the door 16 and the guide bar 36 extends inwardly from the door.

The dispensing wall 12 is of lesser width than the rear wall 14 or the end walls 20 so that its free edge which constitutes the edge 24 of the slot 22 is recessed from the plane of the free edges of the walls 14 and 20, the edge portion 44 being formed inwardly to define the slot 22 and to constitute an angularly disposed flange for guiding the strip S to the edge 24. On the other hand, the door 16 in closed position abuts the free edges of the walls 14 and 20 so that its inner surface is spaced from the slot defining edge 24 so that the lip 30 forms with the edge 24 the slot 22.

The pick-off bar 28 and the hold-down bar 32 may be of any desired configuration except that the pick-off bar should be of a configuration to temporarily support a label perpendicularly of the wall 12, and the edge of the hold-down bar 32 should accommodate pulling of the strip S therearound to dispense a label L. Conveniently, either or both of these bars may be of angle section, as shown.

The sharp bend in the strip inhibits the leading edge of a label from following the strip around the bend and causes the label to separate from the strip and pass along the inner surface of the lip 30. As the label peels from the strip, the lip 30 retains the label in a planar condition between the lip and the pickoff bar 28 and prevents the label from flopping over to the front side of the door. As the strip continues to move around the edge 24 and the label peels therefrom, the main body of the label bears against the lip 30, as shown in FIG. 5. The trailing edge of the label adheres to the strip as the strip passes over. the edge 24, until the labels-is carried against the pick-off bar 28 and adhered lightly thereto as shown in FIG. 6.

To dispense a label, the operator withdraws the strip S which carries the desired label L from the container 10 until a label is lodged on the pick-off bar, as hereinbefore described. The wall 14 of the container may be provided with feet or pads 46 and slots 48, as shown in FIG. 3 so that the container may be mounted by the feet 46 on a counter or shelf, FIGS. 2 and 3, so that the labels are dispensed vertically or it may be suspended by the slots 48 from wall supported hooks or the like, FIG. 1, so that the labels are dispensed horizontally. In either position of the container, a strip may be -advanced by the operator placing a finger against the strip on the wall 12 and moving it from the pick-off bar toward the hold-down bar, he may pull the strip angularly around the hold-down bar, FIGS. 1 and 2, or he may pull the strip parallel with the wall 12, FIG. 3.

The cartridges C each comprise a relatively flat body portion 50 and flange portions 52 extending from the periphery thereof. Conveniently, these cartridges may be constituted by blister packs in which the body portion 50 is formed by a transparent plastic dish-shaped portion, the edges of which are sealed to a relatively rigid backing sheet 54, the edge portions of which extend beyond the periphery of the body portion 50 and constitute the flange portion 52. The body portion 50 is provided with a nozzle 56 defining a discharge opening through which the strip S carrying the labels L passes to be fed around the guide bar 36 and the dispensing edge 24.

To position the cartridges C within the container 10, the container wall 14 includes a false wall 58 provided with a plurality of parallel slots 60 extending transversely of the wall and spaced along its length. The operative wall 12 is also provided with a like series of slots 62 aligned with the slots 60 in the false wall 58, and the cartridges C are positioned by inserting portions oppositely disposed of the flange within a corresponding pair of slots 60 and 62. For this purpose, the backing sheet 54 has a unique configuration including a circular edge 64, a flat edge 66, and an extended edge 68.

To mount a cartridge C, it is inserted into the container with its extended edge 68 in leading position and tilted slightly with the edge 68 toward the operative wall 12 until the curved edge 64 is inserted into a slot 60. The cartridge is then revolved on the circular edge 64 until the extended edge 68 passes through the corresponding slot 62 and the flat edge 66 can abut the container wall 18 opposite the open side thereof. The portion defined by the edge 68 then extends beyond the outside of the operative wall 12 and defines a guide along one side of the pathway of the strip S that is contained within the respective cartridge. The backing sheet 54 on an adjoining cartridge defines a guide along the opposite side of said pathway. To remove a cartridge the operation is reversed in that is is drawn slightly toward the open side of the container to separate the flat edge 66 from the wall 18 and then revolved about the circular edge 64 toswing the 'extended edge 68 beneath or inside the operative wall 12' whereupon the cartridge may be withdrawn through the open side of the container.

The flange 34 on the hold-down bar 32 preferably has a sharpened, roughened or like edge 34' to enable severing excess strip S after it has been drawn from the dispenser and the labels L removed therefrom. The flange 34 is of a height to leave a free end on the strip S extending beyond the hold-down bar 32, after excessstrip has been removed to enable grasping such free end for further pulling of the strip to dispense the next label.

I claim:

1. A label dispenser comprising a housing for enclosing at least one coiled carrier strip on which labels coated with pressure sensitive adhesive are mounted, said housing having a wall means. provided with a dispensing slot, said wall means including a pair of walls and said slot being defined by an edge of one wall and a surface of a second wall, said edge constituting a label dispensing edge over which the carrier strip is passed to peel a label therefrom and said surface being of sufficient extent to constitute a guide for a label as it is peeled from the strip, a pick-off bar on said housing in overlying relation to said one wall parallel to the slot and disposed substantially above said dispensing edge of said slot, said pick-off bar being parallel to and and spaced slightly away from said one wall to accommodate free passage of the carrier strip therebetween, and having a guide face perpendicular to said one wall,

said second wall surface comprising a lip disposed substantially perpendicularly of the plane of said one wall, said guide face of the pick-off bar and the lip being in spaced apart substantially parallel relation and defining a guiding prolongation of the slot, whereby said lip guides a label as it is peeled from the strip outwardly through said slot between said lip and pick-off bar to prevent tilting of the label away from said bar and until the label is carried by the strip into engagement with said pick-off bar, said pick-off bar being spaced from said wall means for the passage thereunder of the carrier strip as the label moves through the space between the guide face of the pick-off bar and the lip.

2. A label dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said lip extends inwardly of said one wall and has an inner end portion extending laterally within the housing and constituting a guide means over which the strip passes in its movement towards and through the slot so as to cause the strip to be bent an an angle prior to passage thereof through the slot.

3, A label dispenser according to claim 1 comprising a guide element within said housing and spaced from and in an angular relation with said slot and disposed in the path of travel of and over which the carrier strip with labels thereon passes thereon prior to passing through said slot, said guide element being disposed to interrupt direct passage of the strip to said slot and cause the strip to be bent at an angle at least 90 as it passes over and around said dispensing edge.

4. A label dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said guide element is disposed relative to said dispensing edge to cause the carrier strip to be bent at an acute angle as it passes over said dispensing edge to cause a label to be directed toward said lip as it is peeled from the strip.

5. A label dispenser according to claim 4, comprising a hold-down bar on said housing in overlying relation and parallel to said one wall and spaced therefrom to accommodate free passage of the carrier strip therebetween, said hold-down bar being spaced from said pick-off bar to enable finger engagement with the strip for advancing the strip.

6. A label dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said slotis disposed adjacent one side of said one wall with said dispensing edge on the side of said slot remote from said surface, and said hold-down bar is adjacent the opposite side of said one wall, the side of said holddown bar adjacent said surface being of a configuration enabling pulling the carrier strip therearound at an angle to the plane of saidone wall. A labe dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said housing comprises a box-like container having an open side and a removeable closure for. said open side, said one wall defining one boundary of the open side, the side of said one wall defining said open side being recessed from the plane of the open side and defining said slot with the edge of said one wall defining said dispensing edge, said closure having a portion extending beyond the plane of ,said one wall and defining said lip when said closure is in closed position, and said guide element being carried by said closure.

8. A label dispenser according to claim.7, wherein said housing is rectangular and capable of enclosing a plurality of rolls of carrier strips in side-by-side relation, said one wall constituting one of the elongate walls of said housing and said slot extending longitudinally therein, said one wall having a plurality of parallel slots therein between said pick-off bar and said holddown bar and extending transversely of said one wall substantially perpendicular to-said dispensing slot, a cartridge enclosing an individual roll of carrier strip and comprising a relatively flat container having a flange portion extending from the periphery of the container, said cartridge being removeably mounted in said housing with said flange portion extending through one of said parallel slots and externally of said one wall to position said cartridge and constitute a guide for the carrier strip between said bars;

9. A label dispenser according to claim 8, wherein at least another of the elongate walls of said housing has means defining retainers for receiving said cartridge flange portion to assist in positioning a cartridge, said retainer means corresponding in number and relative position to said parallel slots in said wall means.

10. A label dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said slot is disposed adjacent one side of said one wall with said dispensing edge on the side of said slot remote from said surface, and a hold-down bar adjacent the opposite side of said one wall, the side of said holddown bar adjacent said surface having a perpendicularly disposed flange and being of a configuration enabling pulling the carrier strip therearound at an angle to the plane of said one wall, the free edge of said flange constituting a tearing edge for severing excess strip material and the dimension of said flange being such that a free end of the strip is exposed beyond said hold-down bar to be grasped for further operation of the strip. 

1. A label dispenser comprising a housing for enclosing at least one coiled carrier strip on which labels coated with pressure sensitive adhesive are mounted, said housing having a wall means provided with a dispensing slot, said wall means including a pair of walls and said slot being defined by an edge of one wall and a surface of a second wall, said edge constituting a label dispensing edge over which the carrier strip is passed to peel a label therefrom and said surface being of sufficient extent to constitute a guide for a label as it is peeled from the strip, a pick-off bar on said housing in overlying relation to said one wall parallel to the slot and disposed substantially above said dispensing edge of said slot, said pick-off bar being parallel to and and spaced slightly away from said one wall to accommodate free passage of the carrier strip therebetween, and having a guide face perpendicular to said one wall, said second wall surface comprising a lip disposed substantially perpendicularly of the plane of said one wall, said guide face of the pick-off bar and the lip being in spaced apart substantially parallel relation and defining a guiding prolongation of the slot, whereby said lip guides a label as it is peeled from the strip outwardly through said slot between said lip and pick-off bar to prevent tilting of the label away from said bar and until the label is carried by the strip into engagement with said pick-off bar, said pick-off bar being spaced from said wall means for the passage thereunder of the carrier strip as the label moves through the space between the guide face of the pick-off bar and the lip.
 2. A label dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said lip extends inwardly of said one wall and has an inner end portion extending laterally within the housing and constituting a guide means over which the strip passes in its movement towards and through the slot so as to cause the strip to be bent an an angle prior to passage thereof through the slot.
 3. A label dispenser according to claim 1 comprising a guide element within said housing and spaced from and in an angular relation with said slot and disposed in the path of travel of and over which the carrier strip with labels thereon passes thereon prior to passing through said slot, said guide element being disposed to interrupt direct passage of the strip to said slot and cause the strip to be bent at an angle at least 90* as it passes over and around said dispensing edge.
 4. A label dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said guide element is disposed relative to said dispensing edge to cause the carrier strip to be bent at an acute angle as it passes over said dispensing edge to cause a label to be directed toward said lip as it is peeled from the strip.
 5. A label dispenser according to claim 4, comprising a hold-down bar on said housing in overlying relation and parallel to said one wall and spaced therefrom to accommodate free passage of the carrier strip therebetween, said hold-down bar being spaced from said pick-off bar to enable finger engagement with the strip for advancing the strip.
 6. A label dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said slot is disposed adjacent one side of said one wall with said dispensing edge on the side of said slot remote from said surface, and said hold-down bar is adjacent the opposite side of said one wall, the side of said hold-down bar adjacent said surface being of a configuration enabling pulling the carrier strip therearound at an angle to the plane of said one wall.
 7. A label dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said housing comprises a box-like container having an open side and a removeable closure for said open side, said one wall defining one boundary of the open side, the side of said one wall defining said open side being recessed from the plane of the open side and defining said slot with the edge of said one wall defining said dispensing edge, said closure having a portion extending beyond the plane of said one wall and defining said lip when said closure is in closed position, and said guide element being carried by said closure.
 8. A label dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said housing is rectangular and capable of enclosing a plurality of rolls of carrier strips in side-by-side relation, said one wall constituting one of the elongate walls of said housing and said slot extending longitudinally therein, said one wall having a plurality of parallel slots therein between said pick-off bar and said hold-down bar and extending transversely of said one wall substantially perpendicular to said dispensing slot, a cartridge enclosing an individual roll of carrier strip and comprising a relatively flat container having a flange portion extending from the periphery of the container, said cartridge being removeably mounted in said housing with said flange portion extending through one of said parallel slots and externally of said one wall to position said cartridge and constitute a guide for the carrier strip between said bars.
 9. A label dispenser according to claim 8, wherein at least another of the elongate walls of said housing has means defining retainers for receiving said cartridge flange portion to assist in positioning a cartridge, said retainer means corresponding in number and relative position to said parallel slots in said wall means.
 10. A label dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said slot is disposed adjacent one side of said one wall with said dispensing edge on the side of said slot remote from said surface, and a hold-down bar adjacent the opposite side of said one wall, the side of said hold-down bar adjacent said surface having a perpendicularly disposed flange and being of a configuration enabling pulling the carrier strip therearound at an angle to the plane of said one wall, the free edge of said flange constituting a tearing edge for severing excess strip material and the dimension of said flange being such that a free end of the strip is exposed beyond said hold-down bar to be grasped for further operation of the strip. 